Device for rinsing a container or other kitchen utensil

ABSTRACT

A device for rinsing a container or other kitchen utensil, the device including a rinsing pan equipped with a spray nozzle for a rinsing liquid, the spray nozzle being supplied with the rinsing liquid by a supply line that is part of the device, and the rinsing pan being provided with an outlet for discharging the rinsing liquid. The device includes a chamber which delimits an at least partially closed space above the rinsing pan, the chamber having a passage opening for introducing the container in order to rinse it, and for removing the container after rinsing.

The invention relates to kitchen furnishings, in particular to a device for rinsing a container, such as a glass or some other kitchen utensil (bowl, cutlery etc.)

For rinsing glasses, fully equipped furniture which is ready to be installed exists: this furniture is often implemented in drinking establishments where the glasses, once they have been cleared, have to be cleaned rapidly and effectively.

Such furniture comprises a rinsing tray equipped with a nozzle for spraying rinsing liquid (referred to as “glass rinse”): the glass is placed against the nozzle, upside down, and when the user exerts pressure on the nozzle, the liquid is sprayed into the glass, thereby cleaning it.

Such furniture is often dirty because the water is also sprayed outside the glasses, this having the consequence of wetting the outside of the furniture and the surroundings thereof, which are contaminated by the passage of the people who clean the glasses and have to pass back and forth around the furniture.

The invention aims to improve such devices (or furniture) intended for rinsing glasses or any other kitchen utensil.

The document FR 2 793 402 discloses a device and a method for rinsing glasses that are designed to limit the amount of water used to rinse kitchen utensils. To that end, the device described in that document comprises a receiving tray which is mounted so as to be movable vertically in an item of furniture. The furniture therefore has a housing for receiving the tray and the tray is mounted so as to be movable vertically in the housing. When a user wants to rinse a utensil, he exerts pressure on the movable tray. When the movable tray descends in the housing, it exerts pressure itself on a rinsing liquid dispensing device and the pressure ensures that the rinsing liquid is dispensed. When the person no longer exerts pressure on the tray, a spring causes the tray to rise back into the initial position and the dispensing device stops dispensing the rinsing liquid.

Such a device makes it possible to stop the rinsing liquid from being dispensed when the user deems the glass (or the utensil) to have been sufficiently rinsed. Nevertheless, such a device still causes splashes around the device/rinsing furniture. Furthermore, such a device is bulky.

The invention makes it possible to remedy these drawbacks and, to this end, proposes a device for rinsing a container or other kitchen utensil, said device comprising a rinsing tray equipped with a nozzle for spraying a rinsing liquid, said nozzle being supplied with rinsing liquid by a supply duct that said device comprises, said tray being equipped with an outlet for draining liquid. According to the invention, the device comprises a chamber which delimits a space that is at least partially closed above said rinsing tray, said chamber having a through-opening for introducing said container in order to rinse it and for removing the container after rinsing.

By virtue of the chamber which delimits a closed space above the rinsing tray, sprays of liquid are stopped and fall back into the tray. In this way, the device remains clean and users are not exposed to any spray.

According to the invention, the device may also have the following features, taken separately or in combination:

-   -   said through-opening has a circular section,     -   said through-opening with a circular section has a diameter of         substantially between 8 and 25 cm,     -   said through-opening has a peripheral bulge,     -   said through-opening is realized in a direction that is inclined         relative to a horizontal axis, such that the container has to be         introduced into the chamber from the bottom upwardly,     -   said chamber is at least partially spherical,     -   said chamber is substantially spherical and at least partially         forms said rinsing tray,     -   said substantially spherical chamber has a diameter of         substantially between 20 and 80 cm,     -   the device comprises a stand on which said chamber is         positioned, and said chamber comprises a second opening which at         least partially forms said drain outlet and a third opening to         which said spray nozzle is fastened,     -   said chamber is made of a transparent material. According to a         variant embodiment, the chamber can be at least partially         transparent and partially translucent,     -   said spray nozzle is a nozzle mounted so as to be movable         between a position for dispensing pressurized liquid and a rest         position, said dispensing position being actuated when pressure         is exerted on said nozzle,     -   said nozzle is a spray nozzle having a plurality of arms         disposed in a star shape. According to another embodiment, said         nozzle could have some other shape (circular, square, etc.),     -   the device comprises a removable receptacle that is able to         receive waste,     -   the device comprises a tank connected to said liquid drain, said         tank being able to receive said liquid that is drained and being         removable,     -   the device comprises a filling detector for said receptacle.

In order to be able to be implemented, the invention is explained in a sufficiently clear and complete manner in the following description, which is, in addition, accompanied by drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of an element that the device has, according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 3 is also a perspective side view of an element that the device has, according to a second embodiment,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a variant embodiment of a device according to the invention.

In the following description, the terms “lower”, “upper”, “top”, “bottom” etc. are used with reference to the drawings for greater ease of understanding. They should not be understood as limiting the scope of the invention.

The device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is designed for rinsing a container such as a kitchen glass (not illustrated).

According to this embodiment, the device 1 is designed to rinse a utensil with a small size, that is to say a utensil around which both hands can substantially be passed.

The device 1 could be used to rinse other utensils, such as cutlery, small plates of the saucer type (placed underneath cups) and, more generally, any utensil with a small size that is used for serving by caterers or in drinking establishments.

The device 1 has a furnishing part, for example a sideboard 2, which has a top 3 and four feet 4.

The top 3 serves to support a rinsing tray 5: to do this, the top 3 has through-openings (not illustrated) through which water inlet ducts and wastewater drainage ducts pass. To this end, the rinsing tray 5 has an outlet connected to the drainage duct.

In FIG. 1, the water inlet duct is a pipe 6 connected to a faucet 7, and the drainage duct is a duct 8 of which the end is connected to a wastewater recovery tank 9.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the presence of a water inlet realized by a pipe connected to a faucet 7. In fact, the water inlet duct could be connected to a clean water canister placed in the furniture or placed at a height to generate pressure. If the canister is placed in the furniture, a pump will be provided to generate pressure in the pipe 6.

Furthermore, “connected” is understood to mean that the duct 8 and the tank 9 are disposed such that the wastewater discharges into the tank 9. The duct 8 is not necessarily fastened to the tank 9; it may simply be positioned such that its outlet is located in the interior space of the tank 9, thus allowing the collection of wastewater.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment: in fact, without departing from the scope of the invention, provision could be made for the duct 8 to be connected to the main drainage system, or for the water inlet pipe to be connected to a water supply system other than the one that is commonly used.

The tank 9 is mounted in a removable manner in the device 1 so that it can be manually drained.

In order to avoid any overflowing of the tank 9, provision is made to equip the device with a filling detector that has a level sensor 10, located in or on the tank, and a visual or audible alarm 11, which activates when the level of wastewater in the tank 9 reaches that of the level sensor 10.

The visual or audible alarm 11 may be placed close to the top 3, for example on an outer wall of the rinsing tray 5.

More precisely, in the context of the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the visual or audible alarm 11 is fastened to a stand 12 which accommodates the rinsing tray 5.

According to the invention, a closed chamber 13 is positioned on the stand 12.

In the context of this example, the closed chamber 13 has a spherical or at least partially spherical shape. The stand 12 has a round shape and has a receiving cavity 14 which at least partially forms the rinsing tray 5. The shape of the receiving cavity 14 complements that of the chamber 13 in order to accommodate the chamber 13.

The chamber 13 can be realized in at least two ways, which are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In FIG. 2, the chamber 13 has a spherical shape. The lower part of the chamber 13 therefore forms the rinsing tray by resting in the cavity 14 of the stand. The chamber 13 thus has three openings:

-   -   a first opening 15 which forms a passage for introducing the         container to be rinsed into the chamber 13 and for removing the         container from the chamber 13,     -   a second opening 16 for the passage of a wastewater drain plug         17,     -   a third opening 18 for the passage of a nozzle 19 for spraying a         rinsing liquid (running water in this example).

In FIG. 3, the chamber 13′ is partially spherical and has the first opening 15 for introducing and removing the container to be rinsed.

The chamber 13′ has a lower opening 20, which has a diameter substantially smaller than that of the stand 12, such that the edge 21 that delimits the opening 20 can rest in the cavity 14 close to the edge of the stand 12.

The closed chamber 13 or 13′ has the advantage of having a wall which acts as an obstacle to any spray of water in all directions around the spray nozzle 19.

In this way, the chamber 13 or 13′ makes it possible to solve the problems on which the invention is based, that is to say that the chamber 13 or 13′ prevents any splashing around the device and in all directions during the rinsing operation.

It should be understood that the invention could, however, have a different shape without departing from the scope of the invention: it could be parallelepipedal, in the form of balls with flat surfaces or any other shape that makes it possible to close a volume around and above the rinsing tray.

The closed chamber 13 or 13′ has a diameter preferably of between approximately 20 cm and approximately 80 cm. The diameter of the chamber 13 or 13′ is therefore large enough for it to be possible to move the object to be rinsed in a comfortable manner inside the chamber, without, however, being too bulky.

The chamber is made of Plexiglas, of plastics material, of glass, or any other transparent material, thereby allowing the operator to see the rinsing that they are carrying out.

The chamber could also be made of an at least partially transparent and partially translucent material.

As far as the opening 15 is concerned, it has a diameter of approximately 13 cm (according to the invention, the diameter of the opening 15 should be substantially between 8 and 25 cm), allowing the container to be inserted into the chamber 13 and to be removed easily, without it being knocked against the wall of the chamber.

The opening 15 also has a circular shape to promote the passage of the object: in fact, the symmetry of revolution of the opening avoids the need to orient the object while it is being inserted or removed.

Finally, the opening 15 has a peripheral bulge 22, making the edge of the opening comfortable in the event of physical contact between the bulge and the operator's hand: it is, in fact, preferable to have a thick edge rather than a thin edge, which can cause cuts or wounds if it rubs against the operator's hand.

It will also be noted that the opening 15 is oriented in a direction D which is inclined relative to the horizontal direction X: the direction is inclined from the bottom upwards when the object is introduced into the chamber 13 or 13′.

In this way, it is easier for the operator to introduce and remove the container.

The spray nozzle 19 which is used in the exemplary embodiment is a commercially available nozzle: it is connected to the duct/pipe 6 for supplying running water and is fastened to the rinsing tray, for example by screwing a ring.

The spray nozzle 19 has a plurality of arms disposed in a star shape, the arms having holes that ensure that the water is dispensed.

The spray nozzle is a nozzle of the push-nozzle type: that part of the nozzle that has the arms is mounted on a spring: the nozzle is therefore movable between two states: a state in which the liquid is not released (rest position in which the arms are in a normal position) and a state in which the liquid is released when pressure is exerted on the arms (dispensing position). By compressing the spring, a valve is opened and allows the water to pass through the nozzle.

Reference will now be made to a second embodiment of a device 1′ according to the invention, which is shown in FIG. 4.

The device 1′ according to the invention has a rinsing tray 5 equipped with a nozzle 19 for spraying a rinsing liquid, the nozzle 19 being supplied with pressurized water by being connected to a supply duct (not illustrated in FIG. 4). The rinsing tray 5 is equipped with a drain outlet (not illustrated in FIG. 4). The device 1′ has a container 13 (or 13′) which delimits a closed space above the rinsing tank 5.

The container has an opening 15 for ensuring the passage of a container, to allow it to be introduced into the chamber or removed from the chamber.

The chamber 13 is also placed on a stand 12 equipped with a visual or audible alarm 11 that indicates that the wastewater receiving tank is full.

The wastewater receiving tank is enclosed in an item of furniture 23, the upper part of which serves as the top 3 on which the stand, the rinsing tray and the chamber rest.

Below the top 3, the furniture 23 has a space closed by sliding doors 27.

The closed space has the wastewater receiving tank, for example, and also a removable receptacle 24 intended to receive solid waste contained in the glasses to be rinsed (for example, the residues of fruits served in cocktails).

The furniture 23 of the device according to the invention is also equipped with a sink 25 and a faucet assembly 26, for emptying the liquid residues contained in the glasses to be rinsed.

The furniture 23 also has a backpiece 29 (vertical lip extending the back of the furniture 23), which can serve as a panel on which different elements are hung: for example, the backpiece 29 could support a dispenser for disposable napkins or a paper towel roll 28.

The backpiece 29 can also serve as an information board.

It will be understood from the above how the invention makes it possible to rinse glasses or other containers or utensils in a safe manner, by limiting sprays of water around the device.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments that have been presented here. In fact, for example, the device could have other elements without departing from the scope of the invention (device for recovering and stacking containers after rinsing, flap in the top 3 for emptying solid residues into the trash can (or removable receptable) 24 without it being necessary to open the furniture 23, etc.)

The invention extends to the implementation of any equivalent means. 

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A device for rinsing a container or other kitchen utensil, said device comprising a rinsing tray equipped with a nozzle for spraying a rinsing liquid, said spray nozzle being supplied with rinsing liquid by a supply duct that said device comprises, said rinsing tray being equipped with an outlet for draining rinsing liquid, characterized in that said device comprises a chamber which delimits a space that is at least partially closed above said rinsing tray, said chamber having a through-opening for introducing said container in order to rinse it and for removing the container after rinsing.
 17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said through-opening has a circular section.
 18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said through-opening with a circular section has a diameter of substantially between 8 and 25 cm.
 19. The device (as claimed in claim 17, wherein said through-opening has a peripheral bulge.
 20. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said through-opening is realized in a direction that is inclined relative to a horizontal axis, such that the container has to be introduced into said chamber from the bottom upwardly.
 21. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said chamber is at least partially spherical.
 22. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said chamber is substantially spherical and at least partially forms said rinsing tray.
 23. The device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said substantially spherical chamber has a diameter of substantially between 20 and 80 cm.
 24. The device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said device comprises a stand on which said chamber is positioned, and said chamber comprises a second opening which at least partially forms said drain outlet and a third opening to which said spray nozzle is fastened.
 25. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said chamber is made of a transparent material.
 26. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said spray nozzle is a nozzle mounted so as to be movable between a position for dispensing pressurized liquid and a rest position, said dispensing position being actuated when pressure is exerted on said nozzle.
 27. The device as claimed in claim 26, wherein said spray nozzle has a plurality of arms disposed in a star shape.
 28. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said device comprises a removable receptacle that is able to receive waste.
 29. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said device comprises a tank connected to said liquid drain, said tank being able to receive said liquid that is drained and being removable.
 30. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein said device comprises a filling detector for said receptacle. 